Wearable medical devices reliant upon stored power share a common dynamic. As the possible and desired functionality of the devices is improved, the power demands generally also increase. As a result, the life per charge or per cell is reduced, which has not only a cost impact for the user, but also increases the risk that a device will power down at an inconvenient time.
In the field of cochlear implants, this issue is exacerbated by the trend to a single, behind the ear unit to replace what was once a head mounted unit and a separate speech processor unit worn on the body. The available volume and weight for the power cell is accordingly reduced. Increased power demands to provide improved functionality create a need to consider the efficiency of speech processing schemes and stimulus sets in order to provide maximum battery life.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved processing method and device, in order to a better balance of power consumption and performance in neural stimulation systems, particularly auditory prostheses.